(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a printing device, and, in particular to a printing device for printing a continuous strip of indicia.
(b) Background Art
There are numerous situations in which people desire to print a continuous pattern on paper, cloth or the like for decorative or utilitarian purposes. Examples range from making decorative wrapping paper to printing a repetitious pattern or message across a form, letter or other paper or material. Problems arise when this becomes a messy, time consuming job with a printing device that requires continual application of ink from a separate ink pad or where the print wheel or ink cartridge is exposed so that those using the device can easily get ink on their clothes or their person. Other problems arise when the ink cartridge is not retractable from the print wheel to allow for easy cleaning of the device or the changing of patterns and ink colors is impossible or inconvenient. Several prior art devices have not worked well due to various mechanical and inherent material problems.
A search of the U.S. patent literature has disclosed a number of prior art patents, these being as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,673 to Oppenheim, discloses a hand painting toy which uses a snap-in print wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,909,326 to Wheeler Jr., shows a rotary hand canceler which has a bracket which holds an inking roller which may be removed and re-inked.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,656,849 to Low, shows a printing device with an ink roller mounted in side slots positioned near the handle. The print wheel in Low is in continual contact with the inking roller and is not retractable.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,576,791 to Rosner, teaches a fur marker which carries a chalk like substance and distributes the chalk to the marking device.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,127,806 to Pells et al., shows a printing device having a handle and a spring loaded ink roller wherein the spring is adjustable. In Pells et al. also, the print wheel is not retractable from the inking roller.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,070,763 to Bauman et al., discloses a print roller device.
U.S. Pat. No. 829,230 to Pope, discloses a canceling device in which the ink roller pressure is adjusted by a nut which withdraws a screw positioned within a spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 642,367 to Ray et al., shows a roller marker with an ink roller held in position by a spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 427,229 to French, discloses a printing wheel with two wheel paths for printing letters in two different colors.
U.S. Pat. No. 321,223 to Keeler, discloses a printing wheel having a spring loaded ink roller.